Today we’d like to introduce you to Rubi Duran.
Hi Rubi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Our story didn’t begin with a business plan. It began with a simple wish to raise our children with a good sense of work ethic, strong values, and an understanding of what it means to get involved. When our son started his first job in fast food, we weren’t really happy about it.
It meant sending him off to a place where he would be exposed to the real world. While it’s a great thing to start working it also means that you’re sending off your teenage son to a new environment with people of different backgrounds, lifestyles and interests. Both my husband and I have strong backgrounds in managing chain restaurants, so we knew that we could take on opening something ourselves and that we could have the kids work with us side by side.
It was also the very beginning of COVID, a time when hours were being cut and many people were being sent home. Our family was one of those affected. Naturally we started looking for something small we could do together, something that would teach our kids responsibility and give them experience they could carry into their futures. What started as a small idea became the beginning of a journey that changed our lives.
Eagles Paleteria & Shaved Ice was our first business. We thought it would be a small shop where our kids could work on their own, but it quickly became a busy and lively place. It was the first of its kind in our town and brought people together. We named it Eagles Paleteria & Shaved Ice after our local town school mascot and to blend two cultures together. A snack shop where shave ice and paletas exist.
Customers encouraged us to add more items and new trends, and the little shop grew faster than we ever expected. Our kids learned how to greet customers, clean tables, keep up with supplies, and work through busy days. They learned that work requires effort, patience, and sometimes doing things even when it is not easy.
Eagles Food Truck came next. Late nights, community events, and the growing popularity of birria tacos brought new opportunities and new experiences. Our kids worked right alongside us, loading and unloading equipment, cooking, taking orders, and meeting people throughout the town. This chapter allowed us to become even more connected with our community and to share our food in new places.
At the paleteria we also sold smoothies and juices, but the combination of healthy items and sweet treats felt mismatched. I wanted to give the healthier menu its own space, something that would serve customers looking for fresh, simple food. That idea led to Eagles Station. We expected a quiet little shop, but it grew quickly and became our busiest location. It was the first clean smoothie and cold pressed juice shop in town. We make chia pudding bowls, acai bowls, protein bowls sandwiches and salads.
We also introduced our loaded avocado toast and the community embraced it immediately. What started as a small concept turned into a fast-paced business that required more staff and eventually led my husband to leave his job to help support the growth.
Shortly after opening Eagles Station, an opportunity came to expand to Bridgeport through a collaboration with the Hayhurst Brothers. Together we opened The Homesteader, a cozy and intentional space offering fresh simple food, superfood smoothies, coffee, and goods. It was built on shared values and a desire to bring people together. Even after we passed it on to one of our hardworking team members, The Homesteader remains an important part of our story.
Clara’s Tea Room added something completely different to our journey. Named after our daughter, it was her idea and she helped bring it to life. The tea room created a sweet and inviting place for people to gather, celebrate, and spend meaningful time together. Its location on the town square allowed us to be more involved in community events and to contribute to traditions we enjoy being part of.
From 2020 to now, we have opened almost a new business every year. Our shops became the setting where our children and their friends grew up. They learned valuable lessons behind the counter, at markets, at the food truck, and in the tea room. Now, as they step into their own futures, they carry with them the work ethic, responsibility, confidence, humility, and sense of community they developed along the way.
Fresh Grounds Market is our newest chapter. This project brings together everything we have learned and built. It is a revival of a well-loved Decatur space that was run by a local family for nearly two decades, the same family who sold us the building where Eagles Station began. Fresh Grounds Market blends nostalgia with new ideas. It offers fresh coffee and espresso, breads and baked goods, grab-and-go meals, produce, pantry staples, honey, jams, cheeses, wellness goods, local favorites, curated items, and familiar touches that honor the history of the space. It reflects every chapter that came before it, all in one place. We are currently stocking and preparing, and we hope to open by Christmas.
This is our story so far, built by our family, shaped by our community, and made meaningful by the people who support us every day.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The truth is that none of this has been easy. We have faced financial pressure, staffing challenges, and the constant effort to stay on budget while relying on busy days to keep everything moving forward. There have been moments when we have wished we could sell everything and walk away. What keeps us rooted is our community. Their support and continued demand for what we do push us to keep working hard and to continue serving. One of our greatest challenges has been finding people who share our vision, our work ethic, and the same passion to carry on the work we started. Even in the difficult seasons, we remain committed to what we have built and the people who believe in us. I am a full time Inpatient Medical Coder and try to run the shops on my spare time, I know that if i can do this many people who have the want and the passion or hunger to have something of their own can as well. I have a full time job a whole family and businesses with a whole team helping. I wish to have the same efforts from the team behind our shops. Yes, it’s a struggle. Every day has its challenges, but how you face them and push forward is what matters. We remind ourselves why we started, and that keeps us going.
We’ve been impressed with Eagles Station, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Although we now operate several businesses, the idea that truly sets us apart is that we are here to serve. When our community asks for something, we do our best to deliver. We stay local, pay attention to what our town needs, and pursue opportunities that can make a difference. We see the potential in our community and try to bring those ideas to life. We look for ways to give back, to support local organizations, and to help other small businesses grow. Through vendor markets, events, and collaborations, we work to create experiences that benefit the people around us and strengthen the place we call home.
Eagles Paleteria
Eagles Food Truck
Eagles Station
Clara’s Tea Room
Fresh Grounds Market
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
We hope to have the opportunity to continue serving you and others, and we encourage everyone, wherever they live, to shop local and support small businesses. The people behind these businesses contribute to the character, strength, and growth of their towns, and their success depends on the community around them. Supporting local shops helps keep communities thriving, connected, and full of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eaglesstation.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eaglesstation/?hl=en
- Facebook: EaglesStationDecatur
